Sudan crisis: Sporadic shelling as US announces aid
May 23, 2023
The Sudanese capital of Khartoum saw warplanes fly over the city and some artillery fire, but remained relatively calm Tuesday on the first full day of a weeklong cease-fire.
The US-Saudi Arabia brokered truce is meant to allow the delivery of humanitarian aid as civilians caught in the fighting bear the brunt of violence.
However, in a joint statement late Tuesday, the two countries said they were seeking to "verify reports of cease-fire violations." They added that preparations for the delivery of aid were underway.
Blinken urges rival parties to abide by truce
The truce went into effect Monday evening, with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warning Sudan's rival generals Tuesday to abide by the truce or face possible sanctions.
The northeastern African nation has been torn by violence for over a month now, after the leaders of the two powerful groups – the army led by General Abdel Fattah Burhan and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces led by General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo – began fighting for control of the country.
All previous cease-fires have been violated and more than 1 million Sudanese have been forced from their homes by the fighting. Thousands have been killed.
US announces aid as Red Cross warns of refugee crisis
On Tuesday, the US announced $245 million (€227 million) in humanitarian aid to Sudan.
"With this funding, our humanitarian partners can respond to the new needs arising from the current conflict, which has displaced approximately 840,000 people within the country and forced another 250,000 to flee since April 15," a press statement from US Secretary of State Blinken said.
At the same time, the Red Cross warned of a looming risk of a humanitarian disaster in neighboring Chad.
About 60,000 to 90,000 people have crossed into Chad, the UN Refugee Agency said earlier this week, with tens of thousands converging in camps in a border village called Borota.
People were residing there without food or water until emergency aid workers were able to bring basic supplies to them.
With the monsoon season around the corner, officials warn that relocating that many people would be a tall order since the village is set to be cut off from supplies once the rain begins.
rm/wd (Reuters, AFP, AP)